Vail, Co 3/27/07

[tseeb]

Even though we did not arrive at our motel in Lakewood until after 1 am, we were on the road at 7:45 and arrived Vail at 9:30. There was enough new snow on the drive to cause a truck and SUV to mix it up and end up sideways on median berm on I-70 before the tunnel. We parked at Cascades Resort, we were are staying, geared up and were on the Cascades lift by 10. We skied some groomers in Lionshead area and I tried the trees and bumps and found snow was very firm. There were a few flakes coming down, but not enough to change the surface so we stuck to the groomers and eventually moved up to Game Creek where the snow was better, but 4-5 minute lift line got to be too much for me for groomers.

We went into the Smokehouse at top of Wildwood for an early lunch and then skied over to Chair 4 which gets to the top. I talked to ski patrol who said Blue Sky and most of Back Bowls was not open due to wind and poor conditions. It was only blowing about 20 mph at the top, but he said they had seen 57 mph. I think that may have been one gust and they made the decision not to open. We skied the Slot to Sun Up chair. The snow was OK where it had been groomed, but visibility was poor and the chair was running very slow. They may have only been letting you ski Slot and a couple of intermediate runs and it seemed like they were no longer letting anyone down to Tea Cup Express so we took long cruise to Golden Peak Base where my wife went in for a break while I went up to check out Highline to see if she could ski it

I took lower Hairball Gully to Highline. The gully was tight, fast, icy and full of big bumps and trees. My first run down Highline I tried Blue Ox which had been recently groomed, but still had some bumps and icy spots. Then I tried Roger’s Run which has smooth, steep and fast. I went to the bottom and got my wife who did two runs on Roger’s Run with me. They have all steeps on Highline marked as double-diamond. They are not difficult, but probably want to scare the intermediates off.

We went up to top and skied 4 mile Riva Ridge which was in good shape, although still a little firm in spots even though it was finally warming up. We started working our way back to Lionshead where we finished at 4 pm. We had very expensive appetizer at Montauk before shuttling back to Cascade. Later we had more reasonable fish tacos and Margaritas at Garfinkels. 19 runs/28K

Pictures added.

 

[Tony Crocker]

It was only blowing about 20 mph at the top, but he said they had seen 57 mph. I think that may have been one gust and they made the decision not to open.

Same thing when I was there last April 2. Management is really gunshy about wind at Vail. They should spend a week at Mammoth and learn when you can and can't run lifts. The only rationale I can guess is that the winds in the Back Bowls are crosswinds while Mammoth's wind is most often in your face while riding lifts.

Roger's and Blue Ox are on an intermittent grooming schedule, with Highline never groomed that I know of. Highline deserves its double black for length and intensity of moguls IMHO. Perhaps joegm should go out there and make that call.

My day last April 2 sounded a bit better in terms of warming up to very good spring conditions in the afternoon. But perhaps there is more winter snow in the north aspects now.